Hotarubi
by Pachinko-candies
Summary: Summary: Toushiro Histugaya is on the receiving end of this dual edged sword. And playing naïve is one thing he can at least do at this point along with the appearance of the all knowing Hyorinmaru Rin-chan to help speed along things.
1. Disclaimer Page

**Disclaimer Page**

Disclaimer: Bleach is the sole property of Tite Kubo.

I don't own anything so don't sue unless if ya want a hamster that could eat you out of house and home along with her funky cage.

Rating: ummm…..just to be on the safe side. M

Okay do I really have to tell ya'll what's in store cause I really don't want to and it would be fun to find out these things. I mean come on I'm giving you guys the pairings so that way you won't freak when you see Grimmjow jumping- no..no…I can't say what's gonna happen in the story. Besides it's rated M so basically anything goes…….am I right or am I right?

But I do own Ikino he's my OC. Many people give meaning to their own characters names but I have no intention of doing so it's too long and stressful and if it had a meaning I wouldn't care and it wouldn't change him nonetheless.

/Shiro to Hyorinmaru/

/Hyorinmaru to Shiro/

**_Song Quotes_** I put them wherever I damn well please, so deal.

Pairing: Must you ask?! GinxToushiro of course!!drools (I must be a pervert of the highest caliber or so my friend says)

Ok here's the rest GrimmjowxUlquirroa AKA GrimmyQuli

HalibelxStark (hints here and there)

ByakuyaxRenji (Rukia did it!)

IkkakuxYumichika (blatantly obvious)

MayurixIshida (hints will be there also)

KenpachixHanataro (Yachiru approved)

and…..last but definitely not least –crappy trumpet plays-

AizenxIchigo (for my friend, but I like this pairing as well, smexy Aizen)

AH! As well as hints of Luppi/Wonderweiss whichever way they pairing goes I still don't even know.

Summary: Toushiro Histugaya is on the receiving end of this dual edged sword. And playing naïve is one thing he can at least do at this point along with the appearance of the all knowing Hyorinmaru (Rin-chan) to help speed along things or will the ice dragon cause more trouble for the poor boy, who knows find out. Aizen has special plans that will backfire on all of Soul Society and he's using Gin to move those plans along.

I know. I know it sounds like most of the stories you've read so far. But its got one thing they don't RIN-CHAN!! Now you'll find out why Toushiro is so grumpy all the time.

BLEACH Rock Musicals are a must see if you haven't, buy it or download it! Then burn it onto your computer turn it into a PSP mpeg, then watch it wherever you go singing along when you know you can't pronounce any of the words right. -Lovingly adores PSP until it crashes from all Bleach musicals-


	2. Merciless Cult

Title: Hotarubi

Chapter One: Merciless Cult

His world started to come back to colors and normalcy, "Ugh…..where the heck am I?", Toushiro groaned sitting up and rubbed his forehead lightly as to not make an onslaught of migraines come his way. After taking a few minutes to regain full consciousness and looked around his room……NOT his room, WHERE THE HELL WAS HE!!

'Hitsugaya don't panic! Hitsugaya don't panic! Hitsugaya-I'm panicking!!', he couldn't feel anyone's reiastu from Seireitei. Again where the hell was he and why was he in this stark white room with barely much in it, Hitsugaya sat up on bed and got up off of the it wondering who's it was and the decided that he didn't want to know. For all he knew it could be Aizen's, Toushiro shivered at that thought.

As soon as he took five steps away from the bed he felt a force yank him back by his neck, arms, and legs. Toushiro flew back into the stiff but comfortable bed. When he got his bearings back he looked at he legs and arms to not only find out that there were sliver-black cuffs with weird markings going around them. Now, his Shinigami uniform was replaced with a white shirt that hung dangerously free on his shoulders making a V shape that ended a few inches past his throat.

The left side had already slipped down his slender form, there was ONE button that held the top part of the shirt closed and it was small; barely noticeable, an obi sash that was the color of a light sea foam with a red lining through the middle that held the bottom half of his shirt closed just above his waist, it tied in the back and the rest hung down past the back of his knee, the sleeves were long at least a good two inches over his fingertips. He went to feel at his neck and found a similar cuff around it like on his arms and legs they were heavy for some reason. 'This is not my day', he thought as he took another look around the room to try and figure out who's it was but had no luck, nothing gave away who this person was.

There was a door that he figured led to the bathroom on his left, a rack that was most likely for his clothes to hang on next to that door, the accursed bed he was currently on of course and a small work table to his right with a few papers on it that was in the upper right corner. Unless……..this was his room, but he wasn't about to join Aizen and his campaign even if they begged him, they would never be able to reel him in no matter what and he would make damn sure of that.

And that's when he saw his prized zanpakuto was on the other side of the room in the lower right corner laying on a sword rack, at least whoever put his things up were very responsible about putting up his zanpakuto. He wanted to feel his zanpakuto in his hands; he got up determined to reach it even if it's only for a small while and tried to force himself past this insufferable invisible wall. Again like the first time he was flung back into the bed with as much force he put into going past the wall, the silver headed captain was pissed and he wasn't going to give into the invisible wall. Hitsugaya again as stubborn as he is got up and tried to walk around but was flung back every time, he had no patience for this and that's why an hour and twenty minutes later he was lying in the middle of the bed panting like it was the middle of summer on the driest day where the sun beat its never-ending rays of death and the humidity had broken all records it had set before.

Toushiro lay there, cursing the fact that he ran out of plans and energy as quickly as that. Too tired to sit up at least he let his thoughts drift to Seireitei and how they were taking his………must he say it….his kidnapping. "Damn…how am I going to escape this place if I can't even escape this bed!?", he exclaimed to no one in particular, feeling his eyes grow heavy Hitsugaya rolled on his side and looked at the white wall that nearly shone his reflection back. And he wondered who exactly would that much balls to give away that they could just waltz back into Seireitei and...kidnap him like that and have all of the resident shinigami not know of their presence.

After thinking about it Hitsugaya tried to link his connection with Hyorinmaru just to see if he could find some steady ground /….Hyorinmaru?/ he whispered into nothingness.

When he heard nothing back he tried once more, but this time louder /Hyorinmaru?/ again he got nothing but air back, maybe he was asking for too much or maybe his connection with the ice dragon was broken.

/sigh….What is it, Toushiro? / His eyes widened a smirk growing on his face; his link with the dragon was not broken.

/Hyorinmaru, I thought-/ he was silenced when his dragon spoke.

/You woke me up, if what you have to say is not important then I'm going back to sleep. / Hitsugaya smiled a small smile that was his Ice Dragon.

/Just wanted to see if you were there….and I also wanted to say that we're not in Seireitei anymore. We might be in Aizen's palace as his prisoners but we're in a room instead of a cell./ he could hear the dragon grumble then deeply sighed.

/Then why not just escape you're capable of doing that right, I trust you won't get caught. And if you do you can call on me as usual-/ Toushiro narrowed his eyes.

/ It's not as easy as you think it is, there's a force field around me to make sure I can't escape much less reach my zanpakuto/. The ice dragon heaved a big sigh.

/Alright then if there's nothing you can do for right now then just rest until you have a chance at escaping, we both know you can't go running around on half empty trying to fight his way out and back to the safety of Soul Society. /

After heeding the dragon's instructions Toushiro's eyes drifted closed and of to dreamland; he went missing the sound of the room door opening then closing behind a familiar smiling fox-like face.

"Looks like 'm in for a show ne, Hitsugaya-han?"

**

* * *

****Soul Society**

"Where could he be? We've searched everywhere for him and he's not in Soul Society.", a big breasted fukutaichou sulkily sat herself at her seat where the piled up papers were supposed to be signed by her taichou; the one and only Toushiro Hitsugaya.

But the short captain was nowhere to be found for the last three days and all of the Division Taichou's and their fukutaichous have searched for him and found not even a single clue of where Hitsugaya could be.

Everyone was worried, especially Momo she had taken care of Hitsugaya since he was young; they were practically siblings. This was a great loss to their efforts of trying to beat Aizen and his Arrancar along with Tousen and Gin. Gin would pay dearly if he had anything to do with her captain's disappearance and she would make damn sure well he'd paid.

The days now seemed longer with no one to make her do her work if she got lazy; Matsumoto got up and left the office. It felt stuffy in there with bodies running around and scrambling to get things done.

Everything was in slight chaos to put it lightly, the other captains were hardly seen and those who rarely did work now were busting their asses to lighten the load on their divisions. "Time to check out, I won't get any work done in this condition.", besides she had enough papers in her room to sign when she's ready to do something to keep her busy later on.

Matsumoto passed by a few other fukutaichou's on her way saying 'hi' to them, that's when she decided a drink would help soothe her it always did; more than half of Soul Society needed it as well. She sat with a few well known friends and a jug of sake, her cup rose like the others in a toast, "To better days.", one said smiling faintly.

All of them agreed, "To finding you.", Matsumoto silently whispered for her taichou. How much longer would it take till they found him or received any word of him.

**_The pessimistic you The merciless you And the self loving you, what are you looking at?_ **

* * *

Hitsugaya shivered as soon as he woke up, how long was he asleep for he wasn't able to tell the room didn't have any windows to show if it was either day or night, it was chilly in the room and all he had on was this stupid shirt type of yukata and it was no protection against the cold air.

He had goose bumps caused by the cold running from the back of his neck to his ankles and chills running back up, "Cold? Ya could've used the blanket that ya were sleeping on Hitsugaya-han.", that insufferable voice!

"What voice? Ya mean mine?", Gin pointed to himself to confirm Hitsugaya's suspicion that he had spoken rather than thought of the words, the smaller man glared at Gin with as much fury as he could muster at the moment. "What the hell am I doing here you traitor? Was this you're doing!?", Gin just looked at the seething captain with slit eyes, his smile growing wider than before.

"Answer me damn it!!", Hitsugaya hopped up from his sitting position and ran towards Gin with hell bent fury to give the man one good punch in the face to take that creepy smile off of his face and mess it up as much as he could. But the small captain forgot one fatal force that would keep him from hitting his target in the desired spot, the invisible wall; Hitsugaya was only inches away from Gin his fist ready to align with the traitors face until the same force he put into his body to help the punch sent him flying back far into the bed with his legs in the air as soon as he touched the base of the bed.

"Such a lovely view.", Gin's uber creepy smile went off the charts, Hitsugaya sat up quickly glaring at Gin. How could he forget that blasted wall, it was the cause of most of his recent frustrations along with dealing with the fact that Gin was now here.

"What are you squinting at traitor?!"

"N'thin but basking in the fact that ya showing yourself ta me. Hitsugaya-han I didn't know ya were like that an all, I mean we're both new at this."

Gin said holding his right hand to his cheek smiling like Toushiro has never seen before, he damn sure well knew Gin wasn't new at this; mocking people. He didn't get it, what the hell was so amusing that Gin would do what he just did?!

Hitsugaya looked down at himself and nearly died of shock, HE WAS NAKED UNDERNEATH THE SHIRT!! His mouth hung wide open like a fish out of water, he was speechless and he couldn't move. HE.WAS.NAKED!! That was why it was so cold, he had bare nothings on!! And Gin was staring at his- Hitsugaya quickly closed his legs and put the long sleeves in his lap to make sure that Gin couldn't see anymore of him, and he glared with anger, embarrassment, frustration, mixed in with a few other hateful emotions.

"Stop staring you pervert!!"

Oh, Gin couldn't be anymore happier than this, Hitsugaya had made his day even if he didn't know it and Gin couldn't help but grin. "What's going on here? Why did you kidnap me? Or whoever that did this. And what good will it do to have me here?", everything just came out in a blur out of Hitsugaya mouth as he stood on the bed but this time stayed put in his spot with the shirt sleeves still in front of him. He was beyond embarrassed at this point.

"What's with the invisible wall and these cuffs? Why is my zanpakuto over there?...Is this-is this my room?", the last question that Toushiro asked made Gin chuckle.

"Hitsugaya-han, I didn't know ya liked t' talk so much, I guess I could humor ya' then. The wall is for the cuffs, the cuffs are for insurance, having ya here is for the good o' the Espada and myself of course.", Hitsugaya flinched when Gin said that last part, "I put your zanpakuto there and as for is this your room, no it's mine you'll be stayin' in here wit me.", the taller of the two said as he stalked from the foot of the bed to the corner where the young captain's zanpakuto was placed and put his own zanpakuto at the top of the rack and took Hyorinmaru off.

He turned to where Hitsugaya was still standing and walked to the left side of the bed near the foot of it inside the invisible wall and held the sheathed zanpakuto out to Toushiro waiting. Hitsugaya narrowed his eyes at Gin in suspicion, "What are you playing at, Ichimaru?", Gin gave Toushiro the faintest of smiles. "'m not playing at anything, thought ya' wanted your zanpakuto is all.", Toushiro could see Gin's eyebrows furrow a bit.

/He did place his zanpakuto on the rack/ the white haired captain narrowed his eyes even further.

/That's what makes it more suspicious than it already is and you should know this Hyorinmaru!! He's playing with me. /

Toushiro heard the dragon huff the mutter something to itself then stalk back into his sub consciousness. "Fine.", he sighed heavily, Hitsugaya slowly walked over to where Gin was and placed his right hand just below the hilt of the zanpakuto letting his small fingers smoothly run over the zanpakutos sheath, marveling at the smooth texture. Within the blink of an eye Toushiro had withdrawn his zanpakuto and had it at Gin's neck pricking through skin and ready to kill if necessary, "Are you that stupid to just bring me my zanpakuto when you knew I couldn't reach it from in here, I thought you'd be smarter than that Ichimaru.", Hitsugaya spat as he clenched his teeth, his zanpakuto was heavy and he was now straining to keep it up, 'The heck is going on?'.

"Is your zanpakuto a bit too heavy Hitsugaya-han?", that damn smile on Gin's face was becoming annoying "Do y' think that wit the strength of a small child that y'll be able ta kill me with it?", Toushiro looked at Gin in surprise. "What are you talking about?", "I've given ya enough.", again the creepiness level of his smile scared Hitsugaya, he was already having a hard time trying to hold his zanpakuto with two hands much less one.

/Hyorinmaru, what the hell is going on? /

/I don't know and don't curse at me. It might have something to do with the cuffs, who knows. /

Before the small captain could reply to the ice dragon, his zanpakuto was ripped out of his hand and discarded on the floor along with its sheath and he was pinned to the bed with his arms above his head, his legs trapped under the weight of the man above him. This was not a good sign for our dear captain Toushiro, and he knew it as well with his absence of reiatsu and physical strength. What he was wearing and how Gin was acting at this moment it couldn't end well at all.

/Uhuh so you come yelling at me saying it's a trick and you go fall for it, nice/

/Shut up /

"My dear cap'n there is one last thing I'd like to tell ya.", Hitsugaya said nothing and just stared at Gin waiting for him to finish,

"Like how you're waiting, quietly an' obeying is exactly how a slave pet of your stature should be acting, don't ya agree?", it took a while until Hitsugaya could process what Gin had just said to him.

White eyebrows strained to fuse together as the ends met his hairline, his turquoise eyes darkened, his thin lips went from a straight line to showing his teeth with a snarl, "You bastard!! How dare you-", Toushiro was silenced with a pair of warm lips to his, it was unlike anything he'd ever felt and it spiked something in the back of his mind, which he was about to investigate until he felt an overly warm and very wet appendage slide in between his lips demanding access and when it did forcefully, it demanded that his would come out and play as well. What the hell was going on was what he wanted to ask because this, whatever Gin was trying to do was unnerving.

The pinned captain could feel Gin smirk against his lips, he knew Toushiro wasn't expecting this and was caught totally off guard by the kiss that Gin instigated. He couldn't help himself Hitsugaya was just asking for it yelling like that and making himself vulnerable to Gin's unknown plan for what was to come. Toushirou's anger was growing but his reluctant body decided it wanted what it was getting because of some kiss from a traitor to all the Shinigami of Soul Society. He really tried to restrain his body, he really did but it acted like it wasn't even connected to his brain anymore.

With his free hand, Gin unbuttoned the one tiny button with ease that held Hitsugaya's shirt to his shoulders and pushed it open to reveal the younger man's chest. Hitsugaya only had time to realize what Gin had done within the short amount of time to try and squirm away but had no such luck because he was trapped in-between long legs.

That's when he felt Gin's heated hands roam over his chest and pinch at his left nipple, Toushiro couldn't help but gasp as Gin did his little taunting to him, Gin gained even more access to Toushiro's mouth. 'What's he doing?!', the victim looked up at the ever smiling face above his; if Gin kept this up Hitsugaya wouldn't only have Gin to deal with but a very irate ice dragon wanting to know what was going on.

"St-stop this….I-ah stop!", Gin had went from caressing his tongue in Toushiro's mouth to sucking on his neck greedily; Toushiro never knew his neck was so sensitive before. 'No don't think about it!' he tried to argue with his mind and wrestle with his body to do as he demanded. He faintly heard a small 'click', but instantly forgot about it.

Tingling shocks went throughout his body when Gin licked a small junction under his ear, "Mou Toushiro, ya wanted me ta stop wha? This?", to make his point clear Gin nibbled on Toushiro's neck while he softly slid his hand over the boys now in need of attention length.

This was fun and Gin had hardly started teasing the young taichou, oh this was going to be marvelous. Gin teasingly tugged on Toushiro's erection and the boy moaned loudly not knowing how to say words anymore and jerked his hips forward, Gin wondered if he gave up on trying to stop the inevitable or was he too gone on cloud nine to notice. Hitsugaya could barely feel Hyorinmaru stir awkwardly and finally come forth in his mind.

/Toushiro, what's going on out there? /

He couldn't answer; Toushiro couldn't find the words he wanted to say because his mind was on another level than he was, and his body was a traitor to both; it's like he's no longer in control of his own body. He tried to scream at it to stop with the weird sounds and to push Gin off.

The room was filled with the moans and gasps of Toushiro Hitsugaya, the moans begging for reprieve to stop and his gasps filled with excitement asking for more, and Gin gladly filled the position.

With all that was going on Hitsugaya couldn't tell that Gin had let go of his wrists, one hand was taunting him on the inside of his thigh, the other smoothly bringing him to bliss, and that mouth biting on his pert nipples.

Gin shifted his weight on the bed moving lower between Hitsugaya's legs and sliding his tongue down a sensitive trail on the young captain's torso. Stopping just above the nearly hard organ that his other hand let go of, Toushiro moaned long and hard, he was delayed by Gin's hand removing itself from him, but he noticed that the man's mouth was awfully close to his member. 'What was that he just made me do?!', try as he might his body was on a solo mission right now and didn't need the help of Toushiro, the brain, or the dragon fussing in the background.

Gin smirked and looked at a very flushed Hitsugaya panting and moaning every second or so, his hips twitching, legs parted and his erection fully erect, just a lovely sight to behold. The older man then pulled the latter up into a sitting position and slipped his right arm under the white-haired captain's left leg to hold both of his wrists behind his back; he wouldn't want to have his hair wrenched out.

Kneeling on the ground in front of Hitsugaya he put two of his own fingers into his mouth coating them with a layer of saliva, when the smaller shinigami saw this he felt his length twitch. Gin was not going to put those where he thought he was. His thumping heart sporadically sped up as his breath was stuck in his throat. As soon as he was finished Gin slowly licked at the slit of the appendage that was presented to him and heard the white-haired boy above him moan deeply.

He then took Hitsugaya in one languid lick all the way to the base helping the captain rock back a little when he gasped for air and used both fingers to enter the warmth that was now squeezing around his fingers upon entry. The young captain could only arch his back as far as it would let him then gasp, moan and pant as Gin sucked at him pulling him to the edge and then rocking him back, his spine tingled; but when two fingers entered him he could hardly feel them hurt with how far he was gone.

That mouth worked like magic, teeth sensuously grazed but never hurt, tongue roughly curled around and spurned him on, his hips jerked forward wanting more. And then that same mouth went further and took all of him along for the ride, Toushiro thought that he had died, because nothing should feel this damn good.

After hearing sounds that no one thought THE 10th squad captain could make Gin felt himself getting hard at the mere image of having this small creature soon to call his name, but not yet he could wait; his waiting would make him suffer but his suffering was also blissful. Then everything would fit into his hazy puzzle soon enough.

His fingers worked around in the small space that was provided, rubbing at the inner walls cracking Hitsugaya's full body mask. Then he found it as soon as the one above him stiffened and screamed rolling his hips so Gin's fingers would rub against it again, but the lavender haired man pushed at it not letting up as Toushiro released with another throaty scream finally into his awaiting mouth, his body shook against Gin's face, legs clenched around his body riding out the orgasm that hit him like a hurricane.

Gin slowly pulled his fingers back but not out, "Let's see how much more can ya give.", he spoke letting go of the wrists that had been constantly clawing at the bed. Gin rose off of the floor bending over the panting and sweaty Toushiro, Gin wiggled his fingers that were still inside him and watched as his hips gave a downward thrust onto them. The man above smiled watching the others attempts at trying to get himself off and kissed him, he wasn't as surprised when he was fully engaged back.

As much as his body tried to get the same effects as the first Gin's fingers weren't cooperating with him, his cuffed hands grabbed at the shoulders above him and he thrusted hard on the fingers inside that were toying with him. The lavender haired man stopped all activities and the latter whined aloud unknown to himself, "Eager aren't we?", he smiled again when no retort made its way to his ears, just a grunt of dissatisfaction came out. Gin kneeled over the captain smiling down at him, "So do ya' still want me ta stop?", he didn't expect an answer and nor did he want one.

Just by the look on his face Gin knew that Hitsugaya had no intention of answering that question and just wanted to finish this romping on his bed, the boy probably wasn't all there just watching what his body was doing. "I see, we'll continue then.", he twirled his long elegant fingers inside the lithe body and bit onto the side of the small soft neck bruising and marking it all in one.

Toushiro's breath hitched in his throat again, he wasn't expecting that to happen. His lower half rose off of the bed meeting those experienced fingers inside his body, a long groan was all he could muster.

He was pulled every which way that Gin felt like dragging him, and two more times he was brought to an orgasmic release till he couldn't spill anymore. Gin let Toushiro's spent body fall to the bed on his side, his shirt hanging on his forearms and his whole body flushed bright pink. Gin leaned down to lick at saliva that was on the corner of Toushiro's mouth, "Ne, lets do that again sometime my lil' snow cone taichou."

Gin got up out of the bed and straightened his clothes back; smoothing out any wrinkles in them and walked to the door leaving as silently as he came in wiping at the small cut on his neck, barely any blood came from it.

Toushiro just laid in the same spot where he fell, a few minutes later all the memories from what Gin had done to him flooded through his mind each scene made his stomach knot and curl. What the heck was he thinking by letting Gin do all of those things to him, that was the point he wasn't thinking when it happened; it's like his mind was misted over. He could feel Hyorinmaru stir but not inquire him about the recent events. Yet. This was a fine mess he ended up in. Gin was only toying with him to get what he wanted, and he let him just like that; no fight, no protests, no- he just laid there and took it.

"What the hell did I just do?"

**_But I just remembered that there is no love here Over and over somewhere begins to break_**


	3. Mind Forest

Title: Hotarubi

Dang it I knew there was something that I forgot to do…..the song lyrics that I hitched w/ my story from different artists. They need their credit too, sides they're the ones that made them.

**_The pessimistic you The merciless you And the self loving you, what are you looking at? Dir en Grey (Merciless Cult)_**

**_But I just remembered that there is no love here Over and over somewhere begins to break Dir en Grey (Merciless Cult)_**

* * *

Chapter Two: Mind Forest

"What the hell did I just do?", he had said it aloud and in his mind. He was tired his muscles trembled under the strain of trying to sit up.

/What the hell did you just do is right, and that's what I'd like to know as well? / the dragon had seen the images flash through his hosts mind whether he liked it or not.

/-I…sigh I honestly don't know how it got tha-/ finally he sat up to fix his shirt back and retie the sash in its original state maybe tighter.

/That far? Obviously you were too elated to answer my question and then after that you completely pushed me to the depths of your inner soul…….../

Toushiro could still feel those fingers inside of him even though they were long gone; he shook his head to get those thoughts out before Hyorinmaru could see them. He needed to get out but he was stuck in Gin's room, on Gin's bed, with only Gin to see when he felt like paying a small visit to Toushiro whenever he wanted to-"No, I won't let this happen again, it was a mistake and Ichimaru took advantage of the situation that's all.", he told himself so that he could try and believe it.

/And that's the reason you let him do nearly all of what he wanted to do with your body? / Hyorinmaru asked nonchalantly.

Toushiro froze. Hyorinmaru could be an ass most of the time /No, I was unprepared and it was unexpected./ he shifted his legs under him.

/ So you're saying you'll be prepared next time he tries those new tactical moves on you? And how may I ask are you going to be prepared for this, hm? Lets see next time leave out the zanpakuto and mix in a few choice words-/

/Hyorinmaru!!/ Hitsugaya nearly fell over on the bed hearing his ice dragon speak so freely of his imprisonment and take it so lightly. He colored bright red.

/ Refrain from pissing me off. /

/-and moans…Aye aye mon captain. / Hitsugaya could just see the bastardly smirk on the dragons face, he sighed and looked at his zanpakuto on the ground.

For some reason it made him recall one day when he was supposedly to be off but Matsumoto wouldn't survive the onslaught of paperwork that kept on rushing in that day. So why did he have to be nice just that once and help her, he should have let her suffer and learn a lesson from this about taking unexpected days off then trying to get out of doing the work. But he ended up doing all the work by himself and Matsumoto had other women from the different divisions over in his office chatting and gossiping about who's with whom and so forth.

But what really pissed him off about that day, they were all eating and didn't bother to give him any food plus they were watching some show, he couldn't tell. By midday he was fuming, had a very excruciating migraine, and was lacking nourishment a.k.a. he was starving. When he came out to order his fukutaichou to get him food, aspirin and verbally demoralize her in front of the other women; he had walked in on a very horrifying scene.

There was about seven women including Matsumoto herself, they were all sitting on the couch his vice would lounge on, the back of it towards him and the TV in front of them. They were howling and egging the show on, making catcalls and every other incite they could banter out. On the screen were two men doing the horizontal mambo and the noises they were making didn't help his poor fleeting mind, needless to say he had only gotten out the first half of Matsumoto's name then he screamed and properly fainted as a guy should in this situation before the two males reached their big finish climax.

Thinking of it still gave him a cold chill up his spine; after that the women who saw him faint would give him a leer he couldn't discern or were they contemplating on making him watch one of their creepy movies. Toushiro could hear Hyorinmaru laughing full blown in his mind; he laughed back then and he was still laughing now.

/Shut up, your not helping my situation./ Toushiro growled.

/I know-I know…just couldn't help myself. I mean it was the first time anyone ever heard you scream like a girl and then half of Soul Society was there in minutes. / He could just picture the dragon wiping a tear from its scaly face remembering Toushiro's day of horrific embarrassment.

The mini taichou grimaced, his sorry excuse for a ice dragon was right, that day after he had woken back up minutes later half of Soul Society was in his office asking him what happened and he justly went back into his office and stayed there for two entire days with his fukutaichou constantly apologizing and bringing him food after shooing everyone but division 10 officers out.

For an hour or two Toushiro and Hyorinmaru talked; plotted on how to get out of Aizen's palace that's if they could find their way out. But, first things first the stupid wall that was holding him at bay and pushing him back. Next, were the cuffs that were restricting his reiatsu from coming full force and keeping him as weak as a child and whatever else it did.

/But Shi-chan, you are a child. Let's not forget that, kay. You haven't hit puberty yet. / Hyorinmaru grinned, he added his vital blow to the captain's waning stress level and his pride.

/That's it!!/ Toushiro screamed in his mind and out loud as he slammed his long sleeve covered fists in the bed.

"Somethin' wrong chibi taichou?" the white haired captain froze, then flushed and slowly looked up to where that creepy voice came from. There at the door, Gin stood smiling at his antics. Hitsugaya grimaced then noticed that Gin had a tray of food in his hands. The smell of the food was wafting to his nose and his cheeks burned, his heartbeat sped up; how long has it been since he's eaten, he wondered. Gin slowly walked with the tray deliberately trying to rile up the small captain so he would jump the tall man for the food or so Hitsugaya thought.

Gin could feel Toushiro's eyes gravitate to the food and only the food, oh joy to have his day filled with such fun games today. He placed the tray on the bed next to the small boy and sat on the other side of the tray.

/ Okay first question he's going to ask is are you hungry? When he asks just nod politely and say yes nicely, this will save you lots of trou-/

"Are ya' hungry Hitsugaya-han?", Gin asked sweetly knowing what was to come. "No, I'm not hungry. Take it back.", Hitsugaya said with a hard monotone voice and looked away. 'I won't be fooled by this crappy act that he's putting on.' The small captain never fails when Gin's added to the equation. Gin grinned slyly.

Hyorinmaru choked / What the hell? You should've said yes, you should know by now if not earlier how Gin Ichimaru is by creepy nature. /

Toushiro would have laughed if Gin wasn't in the room, better yet he should have laughed in the man's face. The ex-taichou's smile brightened, "Are ya sure? Seven days of no food isn't good for the body, first you'll be extremely dehydrated an' then after you've sweated an' excreted everything from yer body; yer stomach acid'll eat at the protective lining in here.", Gin pointed to Hitsugaya's belly. "Then once its eaten a hole or two through, you'll throw up caus' ya can't handle a lot in that small stomach o' yers and then the acid will strip yer throat clean of skin tissue, also it'll leave a bad taste in yer lil mouth……….that's just a very bad way to die. Choking on yer own blood jus cause ya didn't want ta eat this delicious spread I brought fer ya.", the lavender haired man fake pouted, "Oh well, guess I'll jus' bring it back an' throw it away no ones hungry now."

The look on Hitsugaya's face was one akin to horror when Gin finished his explanation of what would happen to Toushiro if he didn't risk tooth and nail eating the food Gin brought. When his ears caught the last words that came out of the man's mouth after he stood to pick up the tray, Toushiro's stomach growled as loudly as it possibly could to grab the attention of everyone that was around.

Gin smiled, he had the tray in his hands to go and toss the food away when the chibi taichou's belly gave full notice that it wanted the food even if it's owner didn't, Hitsugaya blushed as red as the strip on the obi sash he wore.

/ Just take the damn food pride or no pride. / Hyorinmaru had already decided for his host.

/ Why should I? I listened to you the last couple of times and look what happened. 'Just go to sleep: I went to sleep to wake up for a peep show and ended up being the main attraction. Just take the zanpakuto: I take the zanpakuto and end up getting molested. Just take the food: I'm not taking the food!!/ Toushiro glared at the tray.

Gin thought this was funny his mini captain was debating whether to take the food or not, so he thought now that he'll help the boy along. "Ya kno' the foods startin ta get cold, last chance or else you'll be out o' luck til tomorrow, and who knows if you'll make it till tomorrow." The look on the boy's face said that he had finally made up his mind.

/For your info you were tired and we both needed the rest. Second, I didn't tell ya to threaten him with the zanpakuto at his neck ready to kill; that was all you. And third, just eat the damn food or you'll die horribly. /

/If something happens, I'm blaming you for it. / Toushiro grumbled curses that would make Zaraki Kenpachi proud.

/Yeah, whatever. /

Toushiro looked up at Gin's face awaiting his answer, he sighed. 'I won't be able to live this down.', "I'll….take the food." Gin sat down on his bed merrily and a bit too close for the boys liking with the tray in his lap. Toushiro watched with furrowed eyebrows as Gin took up a pair of unused chopsticks, broke them perfectly in half, held them in one hand and picked up the bowl of white rice in the other hand and turned his upper body towards Hitsugaya. He then proceeded to grabbing a clump of rice and aiming it to the boy's mouth, "Say ah." Gin looked like he was having too much fun with this. The face that the white haired boy gave him was a look of 'You've got to be kidding me'. "Hm, guess I was mistaken. Ya don't want the food then." he lowered the chopsticks and the bowl.

The captain's stomach growled again before Hyorinmaru could speak / I'll say this one more time, pride or no pride you need to eat its only him- I know what you're thinking but your body is running on your pure and nearly unrivaled stubbornness and then you'll be worse off, so eat. /

Gin tried not to laugh when he saw the young captain try and open his mouth; it was like starting back up the rusted gears of a busted clock tower but in slow motion and the twitch of his right eye was very amusing as well.

He finally got his mouth open waiting for Gin who at a snail's pace and ever so happily fed the poor boy his meal and gave him his drink as well, without missing a beat.

"Now don'tcha feel better now that ya had somthin' ta eat?", Gin stood with the tray in his hands and walked to the door leaving Hitsugaya to his own devices with limited access. "Oh, almost forgot, you can use th' bathroom whenever ya want, jus' be sure ta walk a straight line to it ne? We wouldn't want ya makin a mess kay, Hitsugaya-han?" Toushiro glared at Gin's back watching him leave closing the door behind himself with the tray in one hand. He scowled bitterly.

As soon as the traitor was gone, Toushiro fell back on the bed. That was the most embarrassing thing he'd ever had to do; being fed by Gin Ichimaru. Why him? Why not someone else? What did Toushiro Hitsugaya ever do to end up like this? He paid for his mistakes and did his time (meaning that he decided to be nice and help Matsumoto only to end up being the only one doing the work and getting no sleep.) He rolled on his side putting his arm under his head, resting for the time being. He sighed, Soul Society probably- scratch that- most likely needed his help right now while Aizen was preparing to or attacking, and here he is forced here against his will to be some type of pet or whatever.

/Life's grand ain't it? /

/Why are you still talking Hyorinmaru? /

/Because you're sulking yourself into depression, Toushi. /

/ Don't call me that and I am not sulking into depression, I'm just thinking is all. /

/Not one of your strongest qualities, eh? /

/ !! /

/Okay shutting up. Don't bust a vein. /

Turquoise eyes slowly drifted shut, unknowing that sleep was right around the corner.

**_Always chasing after a broken dream that disappeared, Your supple fingers bring pain Gackt (Mind Forest)_**

* * *

Soul Society

'It's only been a week since Toushiro got back and everything's a wreck , the already three defect captains a few weeks back and now one missing, his status unknown. Four divisions in utter chaos the other captains that are present are mostly likely thinking on the same lines as I am, "What the hells going on?", and Yamamoto soutaichou won't tell us anything.' Joushiro looked around at the dwindled number of captains and the vice captains filling in just so the divisions won't be as lost as they already are, and in the captains meeting room they looked nervous and out of place.

'This isn't right.' he thought as he observed the four vice captains. Hinamori Momo looked the worst out of the four lieutenants there; her skin was pale like she hasn't eaten or slept at all within the week, her eyes too red and puffy with a few rings around them. Her uniform was wrinkled all over like she hadn't even bothered changing or straightening it out, her last glimmer of hope hanging on by less than a thread. She was a sad sight to see, he felt sympathy for her. But she was like this before Toushiro went missing.

He had to wonder if it was Toushiro Hitsugaya her childhood friend she was crying for or for her captain Sosuke Aizen who defected with Gin Ichimaru and Tousen Kaname.

Kira, that poor man was so loyal to his taichou only to be dropped into an abyss of depression for the betrayal; his head hung lower in shame than anything Jushiro had ever witnessed. This man needed time off to himself to recuperate and get back on track but, in his position and this place going bonkers no one was going to be able to go anywhere.

Rangiku Matsumoto, she wasn't acting like her same old cheerful self, but she was trying hard.

And Shuuhei Hisagi didn't look as bad as the others but, Jushiro thought that he'd have to give the 9th division vice captain a small pep talk, 'And maybe a present to cheer him up. Probably something that's fun to laugh at.' Soul

Society took a devastating hit and Jushiro could vouch for the devastating part, 'We're sitting ducks until Yamamoto taichou decides when to do whatever he thinks is best for preserving Soul Society. But it might cost us in the end when he chooses what we're going to do when Aizen confronts us. I just hope Toushiro doesn't suffer a terrible fate, he's still a young child trying to be an adult so no one will be able to boss him around.' He sighed and looked down at his hands; they were trembling. Something felt wrong about this whole situation and how things were going on, why was everyone still so calm? Or was he just bearing too much on his shoulders at the moment and it seemed to him that everyone wasn't too interested with the problem at hand.

Jushiro picked up on something as Yamamoto spoke, he had not once said a word about sending a search party to go and find the small white-haired captain, and who would want to go. Jushiro decided to voice himself at that moment, "Yamamoto taichou, when will you be sending a search party to look for Hitsugaya taichou?", the old man ran his fingers through the end part of his beard contemplating what the 13th division captain had just said.

**_The innocent melody of bells rings out from somewhere, Softly calling to my heart Gackt (Mind Forest)_**

The air had seemed to have gotten a bit thin and all others who were watching became stifled, "I need all captains and vice captains here to protect our home, this is more important. One shinigami won't make much of a difference. ",

"Maybe, but we still need to find him it's unfair to let such a young shinigami die, for doing what's right."

"He should have been more careful or he shouldn't have went off to go and fight them by himself.". Jushiro had never heard such disregard come from Yamamoto before it took him by surprise and left him hanging but, he wasn't going to give up.

"Sir-", "I must agree with Jushiro on this Yama-jii, if there's a chance we can find him before anything happens to him then we would have one more shinigami to help protect our home. Besides we still don't know what really happened." Jushiro side glanced to the voice that belonged to his friend Kyōraku Shunsui.

Yamamoto gave the two of them a curious glance and cleared his throat," Very well then. So will anyone volunteer to go on the search party and look for 10th division captain Hitsugaya Toushiro?"

Jushiro perked up and was first to speak, "I'll go and take a few of my seated officers along with me.", a few of the other captains looked at him, did he not know that his sickness prevented him from doing too much? Is what ran through their minds. But he knew very well the extent of his powers and when not to over exert himself.

Matsumoto was next, "I'll help him there are other qualified division 10 officers that can take care of the paper work.", she had spoken so quickly that some of the captains couldn't follow her.

"Well I guess I can help as well, my vice Nanao Ise is more than able to take care of my division when I'm gone. ", Shunsui spoke. Yamamoto kept his eyes closed and ran his fingers through the end of his beard again; everyone could see Momo getting ready to voice her wanting to help in Hitsugaya's search and rescue but, Yamamoto voiced himself before she could. "Very well I suppose you can handle this, all three of you?", "Hai, General Yamamoto."

Momo looked down to the floor dejectedly as Yamamoto went on with the meeting not stopping for any more questions just only to eyeball the room to see if everyone was listening to what he had to say. Jushiro gave a small smile to Shunsui and Matsumoto for helping him.

If they didn't find Toushiro then they would have to eventually call off the search when they came back or if it really went down to the worst; label him a traitor and have his execution ready if he returned. Or they presume Hitsugaya dead, that he was so angered by their betrayal and Momo's depression weighed heavily on his guilt that he went after them and tried to stop them himself and was killed; his body dispensed somewhere.

Jushiro didn't want to think that if the last conclusion was what really happened and that they would stumble upon the results, he didn't think that he'd be able to accept that even with the body infront of him to identify the small captain.

The 13th division captain felt queasy he hoped that he wasn't going to have another attack, it would do no good if he was about to go on a search party and leading it none the less. Yamamoto had finally finished speaking to all of the captains and dismissed them telling those who were in the search group to conduct it as they see fit and to come and tell him when they were going to leave so that he could make his preparations to look after the divisions with how long they were going to be gone.

Jushiro and Shunsui walked up next to Matsumoto, "Matsumoto-san how soon can you be ready to go?", Jushiro asked with a small smile to the strawberry blonde. "Huh, oh Ukitake taichou, Shunsui taichou, I can be ready when you are it won't take too long I'd just have to inform the rest of the division that I'd be going with you.", both captains nodded their approval and parted ways with her but, before they could they all ran into Hinamori. Matsumoto put a hand on her shoulder smiling a reassuring smile, "We'll find him don't worry Hinamori-san.", Rangiku gave a final soft squeeze to her shoulder and was about to walk off.

"Please find him; it's my fault he's not here. I should've done something to keep him here, to stop him. Thank you, I'll be forever grateful if you bring him back to me.", they all nodded to her as she kept her face shadowed and finally parted ways going to their respective divisions. Jushiro kept quiet on what he wanted to say in regards of how Momo spoke to them.

It wasn't until that afternoon that Jushiro, three of his squad members, Shunsui, and Matsumoto met up in front of the Commanders meeting room. All of them entered with the two captains first, then the vice captain of squad 10 following and the three squad 13 members bringing up the rear.

They were told the time limit they had to find the division 10 captain and have him back in Soul Society, dead or alive preferably the latter; within two weeks and no more than two weeks. 'That's it!? Just two weeks?', Jushiro kept a straight face despite his inner thoughts. They bowed and left without a single word being said against Yamamoto's orders only their compliance to carry it out. They made their way past the small villages in silence. "Two weeks is not enough.", Jushiro heard Shunsui speak when they had made a good distance away from the gates of Soul Society, he nodded his agreement.

"Why not longer, what if we can't find him within the allotted time but, we know his whereabouts?", Matsumoto spoke her mind a bit angrily as Jushiro would have expected. He grimaced, he was about to speak when Shunsui beat him to it. "Because at this point all the inhabitants of Soul Society haven't fully recovered from the blow of three defective captains that betrayed Soul Society; that in itself says that anyone can be as normal as possible on the outside, serve the land for as long as they see fit then trick and deceive those that thought they were the most obedient lap dogs.

Now we have another captain who suddenly goes missing, his status unknown and what's running through everyone's minds is that they hope he hasn't joined the opposing force and if he did, another big blow Soul Society will receive. So why have two more captains leave for a long period of time? It would be a down right ridiculous idea, thus the reason Yama-jii gave us two weeks. The citizens need assurance that not all of their captains will turn traitors and attack or leave."

"Besides with only two weeks we can't go very far that is why Yama-jii allowed this search party to proceed. Within one week we could most likely pick up a trail or not, but the next week we'd have to be back and prepared to protect our home if need be or if any hollows rise up to try and take us down in our crippled state."

Matsumoto and the three squad 13 members realized what Shunsui meant and Jushiro frowned, "We're not meant to find him are we?", she looked at the two captains in front of her even more stricken with grief than finding out about Toushiro's disappearance the week before, Matsumoto looked away. It was all for naught and if they found a body hopefully not mangled, decapitated or defiled in any way. They were just searching to retrieve the body. The group continued on their futile search in a ghostly silence.

**_The eternal fragility of a time to which I can't return, You're taken away to somewhere I can't reach Gackt (Mind Forest)_**

* * *

Gin closed the door with one hand and turned to walk down the quiet white halls, while making his way to dispose of the rest of the uneaten food Gin passed by a male arrancar that he had seen before. He stopped the arrancar and gave him the tray that he was carrying, telling him to dispose of the rest of the food and tray items. Gin again started to make his way in another direction towards his real destination humming softly to himself; his day was great he could even possibly go so far as saying it was perfect just the way he planned as it would happen. 'Hitsugaya-han is so predictable with a few surprises here an' there. We'll hav' ta work on that some, so it won' get all borin.'

He smiled, this was a project that he would give his full dedication towards; punishments and all. He kept walking a memorized path, when he finally snapped out of his daze he realized that he was already walking towards Aizen who sat on his throne with a mug of coffee in his hand and Tousen who stood right beside the throne, he gave them both a cheeky smile and waved. Sometimes Gin had to wonder if Tousen was really blind because the dark skinned man deftly waved back at him and Aizen just nodded his greeting. But who was he to judge people, besides he needed to stop thinking if Tousen was really blind there was no doubt that the man is blind.

"You look especially joyful tonight Gin…….I wonder why?", Aizen smiled knowing the reason already for the lavender haired man's jovial disposition.

"Yes you seem to have a skip to your walk, is it possibly our newest guest?", Tousen said noting the very excited aura around Gin as Aizen barked out in laughter and Gin beamed at them both.

"O' course, with two hours of arguing with himself he finally let me feed him. Ya shoulda seen his face, he wasn't too happy fer tha' but, that's what made it fun fer me.", "Don't kill him of embarrassment now, or we'd have to get another one to replace him.", Tousen said.

"I'll try but ya know I can' help ma self sometimes, he's a vivacious one.", Aizen quickly took a big gulp of coffee from his mug pretending he didn't hear that and Tousen coughed loudly and turned away for a second. When they had finally composed themselves they looked at Gin who at this point had a serious face, "I mean it, you'd say the same if ya were in my position.", Aizen's eyebrows rose as he spit the rest of his drink back in his mug and Tousen shook his head and ran his hand over his face, "That's why you're doing it.", Tousen replied.

Because Gin, enjoyed his work whether it's killing someone to merely playing cat and mouse with his current obsession in twisted manners.

"Okay, how long do I have to wait until he's ready?", Aizen asked looking at Gin with a more serious face now.

"If I work hard enough, four months in total is what you'd hafta wait. But if ya wanna know when the time is right, then its two months ya hafta wait." Gin spoke very sure of himself.

"Good, then do what you can to help this process move faster, if it can be done sooner do it.", Aizen was about to take another sip of his coffee when he looked at it and remembered he spit some of the drink back in the mug, he sighed and set it on the throne handle. "Don' worry four months and he'll be good an' ready.", Gin started to walk away from them. "Already going back to torture him?", Aizen chuckled for some reason he thought that things would be a whole lot more _zingy_ now that Gin is acting like this. "Nah, I'ma give him sometime ta recuperate, 'm taking a walk around the palace see what I can dig up on some o' the Espada that like ta creep around when they think no ones watchin'."

Aizen rolled his eyes, trust Gin to do the weird and creepy jobs like finding out which Espada are doing what….or whom for that matter; he didn't want to know he just wanted them to do what he told them to without question. Tousen once more cleared his throat and excused himself mumbling something on the lines of 'going to bed before Gin starts something involving everyone in a fifty yard vicinity' but that could have been his sleep ridden mind thinking that. 'Yep, its time to go to sleep.', he picked up his mug and walked out of the throne room not wanting to walk a long distance to just dispose himself of one mug he opened the closest room door he could find which belong to one of his Espada; Szayel Aporro Granz his 8th Espada.

"Szayel, I have an important task for you to execute without fail for me.", the pink haired Espada looked at Aizen waiting.

"Dispose of this would you, in its rightful area.", handing Szayel the mug Aizen turned and left the Espada holding the cup in what seemed to be shock as one side of his glasses slipped down his face.

Gin decided that he had spent enough time out and about; two and a half hours was good, he laughed to himself the scandals he had found around a few corners nearly made him blush and stared wide-eyed he didn't know those paired Espada liked each other, they hardly talked or even looked at each other. "Oh well, ta each his own.", he smiled even more because he knew he had his own to torment and have fun with and no one would object except for the victim himself of course.

* * *

Toushiro jerked out of his sleep, something wasn't right. Something didn't feel right; he looked around the room to find only himself where he had fallen asleep on Gin's bed, in the middle. When had he fallen asleep? The room had only the lighting of the white walls, he sat up wondering what was wrong.

/ Bathroom. / was all that Hyorinmaru said. Clearly he knew that Toushiro needed to go to the bathroom and jerked him out of his sleep.

/ Oh….how long has it been? / he asked rubbing his eyes and yawning at the same time as he slowly edged off the bed.

/A few hours, you sleep like a freaking boulder. Have I told you that before. /

/Shut up! /

/Yeah sure, to your right. / The dragon led him away from running into the walls again and into the bathroom.

Toushiro's feet were cold and it felt strange having chills run up and down his spine, even the door when he opened it made his hands tingle. "That's weird.", he yawned again as he used the bathroom, everything tingled and felt weird. "What's going on?"

/I don't know, maybe it's the room itself, that's probably why. /

The lithe body shivered when he felt Hyorinmaru move about in his inner soul.

/Stop that. You're not making things easier. / the dragon stopped moving and settled in one spot.

As he washed his hands Toushiro noted that the water ran too freely and smoothly over his hands which made him get goosebumbs all over his skin. 'What the hell are they doing in this place?', but also the clothes seemed to tingle wherever they touched him and his cuffs sent shivers throughout his body just like the floor did. But not like they were cold or anything, it was more like they were softly caressing his body.

/Oh shit! / Toushiro felt Hyorinmaru froze in his spot almost immediately when he walked out of the bathroom.

/What? / he stopped walking.

/Oh, nothing just go and get some rest. / The dragon coiled in itself.

Obviously his ice dragon knew something he didn't and now he was going to find out what it was. He sat on the bed now fully awake, curious and tingly.

/No, what was it that you thought of? / Toushiro crossed his arms signaling that he wasn't about to give up any time soon.

/Seriously….ya don't wanna know. You'll just get mad at me for no reason. So how about that sleep you need to catch up on? / Hyorinmaru tried to stray his partner away from impending doom.

/Hyorinmaru, I won't ask again. And this time I expect an answer from you. /

/ I guess you're a genius enough to figure out the rest with one clue…….it was the food. / Was all he said and disappeared back into the depths of Toushiro's inner soul, too far for even Toushiro to reach him.

"The food…..what the hell did he mean by the-", "Ah I see ya waited fer me, how sweet Hitsugaya-han.", that's when it hit him; Gin had put something in the food.

"BASTARD!!", Toushiro screamed.

Said bastard rose his eyebrows in question, "Ya want somethin' or are ya just gonna squeak at me some more?"

Toushiro was seeing red; the bastard just acts like there's nothing wrong. 'SQUEAK!!', what the hell is what passed his mind.

"What the hell did you put in the food?"

"Oh yea……I did put somethin' in it, why ya askin'?" Gin dimly tapped his chin.

If Toushiro could die from pure anger, right now would be the perfect time to do it. This man was frustrating him worse than Matsumoto did on her worse lazy day and he didn't have to try hard, just stand there and he would irritate the little captain to no ends.

"Ya wanna kno' what it is?", Toushiro waited for him to say what he put in it.

"Sorry I can't much say anythin' bout it.", the man said grinning at the boys priceless face; mouth hung open, an advent blush and pretty tourmaline green eyes striking out in the lighted darkness.

Gin walked over to the bed and was about to sit down when Toushiro stopped him, "Pick up my zanpakuto bastard and maybe I'll think about forgiving you for your stupidity." he growled. "Why should I? You started it earlier."

"Because you threw it down there!", Toushiro was so angry that he sailed a kick that landed square in the middle of Gin's left shoulder. They were both at this point surprised at what the white haired shinigami did; Gin slowly turned his head to look at Hitsugaya dead in the eyes, his own now shining with a new intent that Toushiro all of a sudden did not want to know what it was. Not in his condition. Not ever.

There was no smile, no sly demeanor or anything that resembled delightfulness around Gin, "A child who's rude an' uncouth should be punished for their uncivilized ways.", before Toushiro could even get a thought processed in his head about being uncivilized, he was quickly hurled on to the bed face down with his arms crossed over his back painfully held in a steel iron grip. A knee pressed onto the back of his trying to quickly cut off circulation. He stared dumbfounded at the white sheets that seemed to want to merge with his face.

"It won' hurt much………is what I should be sayin', but in your case I'll say this it'll get worse before it gets better." Gin whispered into the boys ear and licked it. Toushiro's eyes widened when he felt the back of his shirt got lifted and the obi sash moved out of the way. His heart started to race, 'This is not happening-this is not happening!!', he felt a smooth finger make its way across his bare bottom and he froze at the new sensation to his body. More tingling shocks made its way through his body and he had to stifle whatever that was going to come out of his mouth, quickly.

It was like time had slowed down for that single moment when he felt the air whoosh by his bottom and could imagine Gin's hand raised in suspense getting ready to fall with gravity and power behind it, aiding with his destruction. After that second of a pause the hand fell with lightning speed and Toushiro felt the burning sting of Gin's hand connecting with his poor bottom. A small cry involuntarily escaped from his mouth into the sheets he was being pressed into. He surprised himself with the yelp.

He heard Gin laugh with mirth "A bit louder if ya could chibi.", and another came down just as mercilessly as the first that elicited a second cry from Toushiro.

In all of his life he's never been beaten until now, not even when he used to live with his granny. He tried to hold in the cries so that Gin wouldn't get a kick out of hitting him like this, but it seemed that the aches of being hit continually came out another way. Tears formed at the corners of his eyes as he tried to keep quiet and leaked down the sides of his face.

"That just won' do. I can't hear ya." the man said as he ran heated fingers over an overpoweringly scalding red rear.

It seemed fate as well as Gin wasn't done with Hitsugaya's torment yet, he waited for a few minutes before running his abnormally cool hand across still searing skin. Toushiro tried not to let his crying get out of control as Gin began again with his punishment. It seemed to Toushiro that the hits got harder and felt more piercing than before, and Gin stopped to comment once in a while when he thought he'd given enough hits per round. "No breakin' skin 's good, that means we can continue.", Toushiro hiccupped in pain, even though he hardly but still made any noise. The sound of skin being hit resounded off the walls making it sound louder than it seemed, the yelps of pain sounded a hundred times louder to Toushiro since he was the one making them.

How long had Gin been at this he couldn't tell anymore only that the pain got worse, Gin wasn't tiring anytime soon and his tears were endless. His cheeks; not the bottom……well maybe that one too, but the ones on his face were blotched red from the strain of keeping quiet. He couldn't tell if his nose was running but it felt like it. That's when he felt Gin near his face again; he turned his head to his right as much as he could.

"Don't think tha' for a minute you're here that I'll take pity on ya an' not give punishments when they're due ta be given. I especially will enjoy it when I can see yer composure crumble like a buildin' with no foundation, like a baby bird watching its own impending doom falling victim to a bird o' prey."

Toushiro's teary eyes widened how long was he going to be here until they decided to get rid of him? That he had played out his usefulness. Why him of all people? One thing he was sure of was that he didn't want anymore of these punishments; it just meant he'd have to be careful with his anger controlling issues….'-a cold day in hell I'd listen to that BASTARD and do what he wants!'

Gin thought that he'd given the taichou enough of his punishment and finally let him go while re-covering his beating red and welted bottom, "Heh, I'll be right back, don' move.", he said as he got off the bed. Toushiro curled up for a second until the beating heat of his bottom stung throughout his body. He slowly uncurled and tried to crawl to the edge of the bed. But it seemed that Gin had caught him in his slow pursuit for some type of sanctuary away from him, "Oi, where do ya think you're going Hitsugaya-han? Unless ya want another lesson in not being rude and uncivil." Gin easily lifted the boy by his mid-torso with only one arm and propped Hitsugaya on his lap belly first. Panic pricked every nerve in the captain's body, "No! Let me go! Stop it! NO!" he tried to wrestle his way out of Gin's grasp and reach.

The taller man just chuckled at the measly attempt at escape and that's when he noticed the tear streaked and blotchy face that the boy sported. "Did I make ya cry? It was for your own good; ya should learn manners or were ya not raised properly before ya became a shinigami?" Gin knew he struck a nerve when Toushiro froze and looked at him.

"I can see ya weren't." Was Gin's only response as he laughed even louder dragging the boy back to him.

"An' that's why I like ya most of all, such anger when it's unnecessary.", Gin sighed then spoke up again, "And so much passion that pulls others to ya, a trait not all can carry, ne?"

Toushiro realized he was being pulled again and turned to slam his foot into Gin's face, but it was caught by long elegant but lightly calloused hands.

Gin chuckled some more, "You never give up do ya, Shiro-chan?"

Toushiro growled in the midst of being in pain he was not going to be played with not again, he had enough of this. "Don't fucking touch me!", he barked surprising both himself and Gin again on the same night. Gin chuckled low enough where Toushiro could barely hear it.

He just yanked the boy back and flipped him over easily; Gin then proceeded to placing a moist rag on Toushiro's swollen rear. The small boy gave a full body twitch when he felt something soft and wet smoothly and freely run over him. That's when he realized that it was a rag that Gin had started to wipe him off with, the stinging seemed to slowly clear off as he lay frozen on Gin's lap.

Why was this bastard being so gentle with him all of a sudden when not five minutes ago he was tearing his poor behind a new one? Toushiro seemed to not notice that he had went lax on Gin's lap as all of his own questions bombarded him one after the other not caring if he answered or not. The tingling sensations had not gone away and had Toushiro practically moaning from the gentle and exciting strokes.

"And now, on ta the greater things in life that ya were deprived o' in Soul Society.", Gin was expecting anything else but Toushiro falling asleep on him, anything……but that. He huffed a small smile, and then boy took the opportunity to roll up into a small ball and cuddle into his haori. Gin's laughter echoed lightly through his room as it bounced off the walls.

"Shut up Rin chan…..so annoying-", the boy muttered then flung his arm over his face as his body stretched a leg settled over Gin's left arm. He then went back to lightly snoring. Gin could still see the dried tears streaking down his face and used the other side of the rag to quickly wipe them up. Slowly he rolled Toushiro off of his lap and onto the bed in which the boy didn't seem to notice as he was flopped onto his side, and then proceeded to toss and turn until he felt comfortable.

Gin just stood as he shed his clothes, laying them on the rack that held his yukata and wrapped it around himself tying his sash loosely. He sat Shinsou on the top of his sword rack, then turned for his bed. Gin found out how hard it was to actually move the young captain while in his restless sleep mode; it was easy the week before because Toushiro was basically stationary. It took him five minutes that felt like fifteen to get Toushiro near a pillow where the boy then latched onto it and rolled onto the other that was meant for Gin.

Gin unmistakably groaned softly, during the day yeah, he could handle the bundle of trouble that was Toushiro and all the hell he brought with him; but at night Gin didn't think he'd have the strength left to detain the fitful sleeper. He had a feeling that it would get a lot worse once he got onto the bed. 'I guess this is supposed ta be my torture too, ne Shiro-chan?', Gin got a small snort in return for his thoughts. "Temee….Rin-chan…humph-hell no."

And he was right, as soon as he hit the bed his knee was met with a forceful kick and a small fist caught him in the chest by surprise and all the while Toushiro was grumbling in his sleep. Before he could restrain the boy from trying to injure him more the front of his yukata was gripped tightly, the pillow that Toushiro held was stuck between the two of them with his head snuggling against it. 'Yep, your way of giving payback without it being intentional……..maybe I should make ya sleep on the floor.'

Gin stifled a yawn and laid his head on his pillow that was forgotten by the small mass that now had a death grip on his yukata finally allowing sleep to come to him.

Sometime in the middle of the night Toushiro had woken up and found himself staring at a pale chest, he froze and withdrew himself from the body and caught sight of the one person he didn't want it to be. 'How dare that bastard touch me while I'm sleeping!'

/Sleep. It's too damn early. Turn off the lights. Shut the hell up. Give me my sleep. Close your eyelids and go to sleep/ Hyorinmaru groaned.

Toushiro shifted to the very edge of the other side of Gin's king-size bed away from the man and scuttled to the foot of the bed under the sheet. He promptly went right back to sleep at the foot of the bed, the farthest he could get away from the cruel man without invoking the stupid wall.

* * *

A/N: I feel like I put in too much about Aizen, Gin and Tousen's traitorous ways…..let me rephrase that, I feel like I said the same line like fifty billion times. –sigh- So very sorry, its not like I meant it to be like that it just came out like this and I felt satisfied with how the story came along, so if you feel that way I can't change it.

Review if you like….don't review if you don't like. I don't care I'm actually doing this for my sanity before it got out of hand with my Gin/Hitsu obsession. -sighs deeply- (I don't think I'll ever let this pairing go….that's a good thing…..right?...yeah, not letting go.) XD


	4. Premonition

A/N: Sorry for the long wait you guys, I know you've been waiting for this so here you go. The long overdue chapter three.

* * *

Chapter Three: Premonition

"He is a cute one you picked out, right-"Toushiro rubbed his eyes as he tried to focus on the voice that was speaking above him. It couldn't be Gin because the man's voice sounded farther from the one above him. "I know and if he's good enough I might even let him meet the others with Aizen's approval o' course."

"That'll be a riot; I can't wait until this happens." Turquoise eyes slowly opened to find a feminine smiling face with violet eyes staring back at him. 'Who the-' he faintly glared up at the face not recognizing it, the person above him giggled as an arm covered with white cloth like his went up to cover their mouth. "Even cuter with his eyes open, morning sunshine." he blinked once, and then blinked again, and a third time to be sure.

That's when his sleep fogged brain finally cleared up, he was in Gin's room but who the blue blazes was this person just above him smiling. "He's awake?" the voice belonged to Gin and it sounded closer now. "Yep, and doesn't look too friendly right now though." the face lowered the long sleeve, still smiling.

Damn right. Who gave this person the right to watch him while he slept?!

That's when Gin's face popped up into Toushiro's line of view and his morning grimace turned into an all out scowl. "My day already turned into hell, with your ugly face." Gin smiled. "Oi, what kinda morning greetin' is that, ya should be happy I decided to sacrifice m'self and not let Tousen do this job. I coulda been free ta do all I want but, I being the nicer o' the two of us gave myself as a sacrificial lamb to the wolf."

"Get the hell out of my face with that crap! It's more like I'm the lamb." Toushiro said the last part as softly as he could, but the feminine looking person above him heard and laughed out loud. "Oh yeah I'll definitely be getting a front row seat for this show, just think Grimmjow vs. Mini Ice Queen ahahahahaha…..this'll be too much! Hahahahaha-", Toushiro's eyes darkened.

"And who the hell are you?" appointed person smiled sweetly. "My name little sacrificial lamb, is Luppi. You're not much of a morning person are you?" Luppi held up one hand to his-er…her face, Toushiro didn't know what to make of em. "He's not much o' an anytime person, isn't that right…Shiro-chan?" If looks could kill, Gin would be dead a hundred times over and then some.

"Well now that you're awake I'll be taking ma leave." the lavender haired man straightened his clothes and started to head for the door. "What-", "Relaxed cutie, I'll be here to watch you." Toushiro was cut off by Luppi who waved goodbye to Gin. "I'd rather be hanged."

Luppi just smirked, Gin chuckled. "Chibi, Luppi here'll be watchin' ya in my place since I got work ta do." Toushiro avoided looking at Gin's face. "Che…lazy bastard, since when did you become capable of doing work?" Gin just smiled wider and walked out the door closing it behind himself.

"What the hell are you?" Toushiro eyed Luppi with a droopy glare. "I thought you'd figure that I'm an Arrancar-", "No. I meant are you a boy or are you a girl?" Luppi just blinked very slowly and calculated if he should laugh or strangle the white haired boy in front of him; but then Gin wouldn't be too happy about losing his play toy. So Luppi decided to give a small chuckle, "What do you think I am?"

"You're too flat-chested to be a girl, so a boy…. although I may be wrong about that." Irritation rose up in the pits of Luppi's stomach but, he quickly dismissed it. "Well, you stay your happy little ass on that bed and we won't have any problems…okay." Luppi cocked his head to one side and smiled sweetly, "Whatever."

Toushiro sat with his back to the arrancar annoyance marring his face. A few minutes later he heard a weird sound come from inside the room. "Hey, keep it to yourself!" he turned to Luppi only to find the arrancar dangling a poofy round thing with feathers in it over another arrancar's face. He stared feeling kind of perturbed looking at the scene because Luppi obviously wasn't paying attention to what he had just blurted out. Finally after two minutes Luppi glanced up at Toushiro to see the priceless face that was plastered on the young one and laughed.

"Oh I forgot to introduce you; Puffball…Wonderweiss, Wonderweiss…Puffball", Toushiro seethed. Luppi giggled at how puffy Toushiro really looked at this moment, his hair seemed to take on a life of its own. Toushiro edged back more to the middle of the bed and eyed the two with a weird look.

Toushiro felt an unwavering stare turn his way and saw that it was the blonde haired arrancar, Wonderweiss. The blonde was giving him a guppy look and slowly walked over to the boy on the bed, he sat a few inches away from Toushiro just staring at his eyes and doing nothing but staring. Toushiro glared back at the spaced out arrancar who in return moaned and then casted his eyes on white eyebrows that creased with impatience of being stared at and then twitched.

Luppi watched as the two had somewhat of a staring contest, and smiled at this. He watched as Toushiro's glare increased and Wonderweiss' amazement at how white the hair that was presented to him was. Then Toushiro found himself falling victim to an onslaught of Wonderweiss-ness in the zone with ooh's and aah's along with his hair being ruffled and petted followed by more sounds of wonderment. In all of his days Luppi has never seen Wonderweiss attack something, well someone with such….how could he explain it? Vigor? But one thing he was sure of if Wonderweiss doesn't let go of the boy he might get a bite or two, maybe three if Luppi didn't stop this. Who knew what he'd be capable of with the information that Gin gave him.

It was a battle to behold and to remember for future references, Luppi did not realize that he would have to struggle with both Wonderweiss and Toushiro. Turquoise eyes at this point looked more than enraged they looked like they could deal a calamity all on its owner's will, Toushiro growled giving off his first and last warning of danger that Wonderweiss ignored and kept petting the puffy whiteness that bounced back and forth. One good bite was all he got on the arrancar before they were yanked apart; Wonderweiss snatched his arm back before he sent the other to ruffle the soft hair again. The second hand that reached for white hair was clawed at, by the time Wonderweiss pulled his hand back swiftly there were beads of blood showing all over his hand. And he looked at it confused.

Toushiro for the second time, maybe third since he found himself in Gin's room being handled like he was a rag doll. Luppi had slammed him flat on his back with his arms crossed painfully and his palms touching the bed. What the hell was he, something to be manhandled? "This is your first warning little one; the next two times might not be so pretty, so I suggest that you just keep to yourself." Luppi growled lightly as he spoke. He received a growl back but, no words. Luppi figured that the boy wasn't going to talk to him for the rest of the day while they were within sight range but, it didn't matter to Luppi much. When Luppi was about to say another word he noticed that Toushiro had completely zoned out making him look like Wonderweiss but without the weird look that Wonderweiss got.

"Hey, snap out of it, all I did was- Is he even listening to me?" Luppi casted a somewhat worried gaze to Wonderweiss who had the exact same expression on his face like Toushiro did. Luppi's shoulders and eyebrows sagged, 'This is not happening to me now!'

/Ahh...I had the best sleep ever. What about you Toushiro? / Toushiro mentally groaned his dragon could be so oblivious at times.

/What do you think? I've been trying to get you all last night after you told me about the food. Why the hell didn't you answer? /

/Well, ya see I figured you were still twisting your fundoshi about the whole thing and was trying to take it out on me. /

/If you haven't noticed I don't have one on, so there's none to twist. /

/And that makes you all the more irritated with everything so let's just over look this. But I did had an odd stinging sensation vibe through me, did anything happen that I missed? / Toushiro was not about to let Hyorinmaru know that he was beaten last night or let him rummage through his memory of the night's events.

/It was just the food. / Hyorinmaru knew that was a bone dry lie and he was going to find out what happened even if it costs Toushiro a bit of pain.

/M'kay / Something was wrong, why isn't he pressing the matters more……oh well if he didn't want to know Toushiro wasn't going to argue.

When Toushiro finally came back to he saw Luppi lying on a couch against the wall that was not there the day before, "Welcome to the world of consciousness your icy-ness." Toushiro glared at Luppi, this one was annoying too. He had the oddest thought that he might not be able to shake this one along with Hyorinmaru, Ichimaru, Mastumoto and Hinamori- there was just too many people to count on that list.

Luppi hung the white puff over Wonderweiss' head and contemplated what he should do, it's only been thirty minutes and he needed something to do. He was bored. 'Augh, this is degrading babysitting a cold brat. I'm so bored; I'd give anything to be able to do something.'

And that was when he heard the loudest growl that came out of nowhere. Both Luppi and Wonderweiss looked up and around the room because the sound definitely did not come from their area of the room. Two pairs of eyes landed on the boy sitting on the bed with a red face, then when the growl became much louder Luppi almost fell over the side of the couch laughing. Toushiro turned his red face away from them as he clutched his stomach when a wave of pain rolled over it, he was hungry and his stomach could testify for that. And to make matters worse Hyorinmaru was laughing at him as well- no he wasn't laughing. He was howling because he found it so damn funny!

Luppi got up off the couch still laughing, "Are you hungry little one?" his voice wavering the more he tried to talk. Another growl answered him and Luppi hit the floor with tears in his eyes as he grabbed the sheet on the bed. Hyorinmaru couldn't stop laughing, howling and rolling for the life of him and that made Toushiro's blushing extend to his ears, the base of his neck and parts of his chest. He grinded his teeth together as hard as he could, anger rolling off in waves, but no matter how vicious he looked his growling stomach nullified all of it. He soon found himself in the grips of Wonderweiss with his ear to Toushiro's belly listening to the gurgles and growls while inputting his own little soundtrack. Or was he trying to talk back to it?

Too angry from being embarrassed and all he could do was suffer through because no one was listening to him as he tried to yell but, his stomach was louder and put him in a silent stew of ridicule. Luppi was able to finally catch his breath as he pulled himself back into a straight and standing composure. He cleared his throat of all giggles and laughs and pulled Wonderweiss away from the fuming boy before he started to bite again.

"I think I've had my laughs for the day." Luppi dusted off his clothes and was about to walk out of the room with Wonderweiss and that's when it hit him. What did this kid eat? Because he truly and honestly didn't know, he knew that Aizen, Gin and Tousen had to eat something or their Leader wouldn't be much of a leader looking like a bag of bones. He looked back at the boy who was still turned away from them in a silent fume and decided right there and then that he would take the brat with him. He might go kicking and screaming but he'd go none the less if he really wanted to eat.

Luppi grabbed the back of the loose top yukata and started to drag Toushiro none too gently off of Gin's bed. Surprised, all the boy could do was squawk as he hit the floor harshly. " Come on and to get up, I have to hurry up and get you something to eat cause I don't know what you'd want and I could care less if you starve, but Gin would have my head or at least torture me first before he killed me. So get up and come on." Luppi was already at the door with Wonderweiss waiting for the slower member of the trio to catch up. Toushiro grumbled low in his chest at being treated like that, 'Guess I can't expect much from a barbarian like him.'

He followed after Luppi a few paces from the door and he froze, wasn't he supposed to be at this point and time flung back. But no such thing happened he could walk around freely and not feel the repercussions.

Before a smirk could make its way to his face he stopped it dead in its tracks, what if it was a trap? For all he knew-

Toushiro was pulled out of his thoughts by Luppi's knuckles rapping on his forehead trying to get his attention. "Oi you listening, hurry up or I'm not taking you anywhere." He glared and bat at the slim hands with his owns small ones. It would do him no good to try and start a fight he was not in any state of power to do so. He learned the first time, it's just that he'd need an advantage.

Quietly he followed Luppi and Wonderweiss out of the white room into even whiter halls.

/It feels like my eyeballs are going to ooze out of my head. / he used his hands to try and block out most of the radiant shine.

/You know it'll only last for a little while. / As Hyorinmaru spoke Toushiro's eyes on cue, even though it took bit longer started to adjust to the lighting.

'Wow' was all Toushiro could think as he took in the grand halls, though they were white you had to marvel at its uniqueness. It was not everyday that you come across stark white intricacies.

How far had he gotten from the room? It was only a question to see how long he would be allowed by the metal bands to move away and not get ripped back at lightning speed.

It seemed that they had already reached the area where Toushiro could eat and they could leave avoiding questioning stares or those who liked to speak what was always on their minds.

It was weird that they didn't run into anyone, Luppi had mused over it while he watched as Wonderweiss tried to join in with Toushiro eating which caused a small battle for whatever the hell the brat was eating. There goes that tingling in the back of his mind like a warning of something bad that was about to happen. Twenty minutes had been enough. It was time that they left.

Luppi stood with his hands on his hips looking at the two. It was comical really, a shinigami of his rank, yes he knew of the boys rank courtesy of one creepy Ichimaru. A shinigami trying to ward off an arrancar from eating his food, he would have laughed but, that tingling came back and now he knew their time was short and lessening by the second.

"Alright let's go I'm tired of watching over you little one. Wonderweiss get him and come on." And with that Luppi started to briskly walk out of the room with Wonderweiss holding a disgruntled Toushiro. Really he could walk by himself. 'Must be some emergency if they're hauling ass.' He glared at Luppi's back.

As soon as they were down the hall and around the corner Luppi told Wonderweiss to let go of 'Ice Princess' before he blows his stack and got them all in trouble. To such a name Toushiro would have argued but, was surprised when his back hit the wall around a second corner and distinctly had a hand that wasn't his own slapped over his mouth. Luppi quickly told him to shut it.

He had to think of something quickly or they would be in serious hell, especially if they were caught outside the room. And he had to think real quick because the person coming down that hall wasn't supposed to know that Gin's bed warmer was out and about. 'What do I do? We'll be caught!'

Lilac eyes slid over to Wonderweiss who was trapped between their owner and the wall.

'NO!'

But he had to do something and Aizen was only four meters away and closing in fast.

'But……..oh man here goes everything!'

Using his free hand Luppi grabbed one of Wonderweiss' and put it on his hip, then placed his own hand on the blonde's face locking lilac eyes with purple ones like his own.

Aizen had thought he'd seen Luppi and Wonderweiss just as he turned down the hall, didn't he assign them under Gin for…no...he needed his coffee first then maybe he'll come back to that issue.

As soon as he spotted the white of Luppi's clothes, Aizen had wished that somehow he didn't turn down this hallway but the fact still remained that he did.

Luppi slowly pulled away from Wonderweiss and acted surprised when he saw Aizen standing there looking a bit like he was violently shaken awake from a deep sleep. "Ah, Aizen-sama I can-" he was stopped quickly as Aizen raised his right hand silencing him and shaking his head at the same time as if saying that he didn't want to hear it, whatever excuse that Luppi had thought up. He did not want to hear it.

It was too early in the morning for this and Aizen decided that he would drop this matter swiftly and continue on as if it didn't happen.

And so he did. Walked away briskly. Subject dropped. No inquiries about it to never again be brought up from the depths and crevices of his mind. Ever.

Luppi waited until Aizen had made a quick getaway from his and Wonderweiss' extracurricular activities and finally released his hold on both Wonderweiss and Toushiro. But the strange thing about it was that the blondes hold got a bit tighter around his waist, which set off new alarms in Luppi's head. He quickly and harshly removed himself from the grasp blushing.

**Beginnings come at random, but endings always have a reason. Ayumi Hamasaki (M)**

Toushiro stood there frozen and it was not by the fact that Aizen was there but the fact that the two had kissed. It was like his office all over again.

/ Ahahahaha, there's another one to commit to memory. Oh man, don't you just get all the luck. / apparently the only one out of the three beings who witnessed this act was enjoying the fact that this was a very funny soap opera to watch.

"Let's hurry up and get back, that's it for me for today, I've had enough. Come on." Luppi said as he stalked off with a glossy-eyed blonde trailing him and a very put-off shinigami taking up the rear and keeping a few feet worth's distance.

Today was obviously not going to go well for a few people.

* * *

Soul Society

'Is there something that I'm missing in this picture that I haven't caught on to yet?' Renji thought hard about how unnaturally quiet all of the residents in Soul Society have been for the past week. No one said anything about Captain Hitsugaya since Captain Ukitake's inspirational defiance to search for the missing small captain. 'I wonder if Captain Kuchiki would update on what's going on since he only said that Ukitake taichou is leading a search party.' Renji sighed in confusion not paying attention to the person next to him who had been talking the whole time.

'Maybe if I ask the right questions then I'll be able to find out what I need to know because something is not right. Everyone is too calm and it's unnerving, like Hitsugaya never existed.' He rounded another corner and scratched the side of his hakama pants.

And that's when it hit him. 'Ichigo might know!' but the substitute shinigami had already went off to train so he would have to wait until he came back. Renji gave another big sigh as he realized that no other shinigami would be there to help keep Orihime safe, they were called back a week before the small captain himself was called back leaving only Chad, Uryu, Orihime herself and Urahara with Yoruichi, 'If they did decide to help and protect her,' to keep Orihime safe. Since what the young captain had told him the night he came back, Ichigo had made plans to go off and train and won't be back for a while.

"Did you hear what I said Renji?" He was shocked out of his threading conscious by a familiar voice. "Oh sorry Rukia I wasn't listening, can you repeat that?" Rukia gave him an indignant look. She had been speaking for the last ten minutes, "So you're telling me that you didn't hear a single word I said?" his silence and nervous chuckle proved her question right. 'Not one single word.' She sighed.

They rounded another corner and just then….

BAM!

All Rukia could make out of the two in front of her was that her brother Byakuya was slightly leaning while holding Renji up with his arm on the wall to save them. She had to stifle her giggles, 'It's like they just got finished dancing……OH! How could I forget!?' unknown to both male shinigami, Rukia had quickly taken out her phone and snapped as many pictures as she could before the two separated with matching pink faces.

"Ah sorry about that taichou, Rukia was talking and…" as he glanced to Rukia to help him out of his situation, he saw her flipping her phone closed. "Hey, Rukia what'd you just do? Rukia don't ignore me! Come back here!! Rukia!! " Renji was off chasing her.

Byakuya watched the two sped off into the distance, fixed his clothes and kept on walking as if nothing had happened. He'd call for his vice captain later. No use having a conga line of idiots chasing each other, not like he referred to himself as such.

'She's lucky she's so small and can get into tiny places or Kuchiki taichou would be missing a sister.' Renji sighed and made his way down a busy street not caring who he bumped into. "It's all so surreal, like a really eerie dream gone out of control." He said hello to a few of his fellow officers that greeted him back in a drone characteristic way.

**As I look around, everyone busily hurries on by.****I noticed that this year, too, the signs of winter have come very soon. Ayumi Hamasaki (M)**

"I need a drink or my head's going to explode."

As he made his way to get a drink a thought hit him like a ton of bricks, 'I can't just blatantly ask or demand for answers, Taichou would have my head on a spit. Well since captain Ukitake is demanding answers, if what Hinamori is saying is true then I can't really draw that much attention to myself. It's going to be an up hill battle with trying to get captain Kuchiki to at least speak about the Gotei Thirteen's Taichou business.'

Renji smirked, 'Well at least I got that piece of information. Che, confidential my ass. ', "Oy, Renji!!" he looked up just in time to see one of his best drinking buddies, Shuuhei Hisagi. Excellent.

"Hey…what's up?", "Wanna get a drink? My treat." Oh he couldn't say no to that. As both vice captains made their way to go and purchase drinks, their two person group turned into a full blown entourage of shinigami ready to drink the day away. Each one of them confessing how stressful their day had been and compared the difficulty with each other.

Twenty jugs of sake. That's how many they had gone through; well most couldn't even handle seven cups. All in all, it had been a great night out from all of the stress of work and they all ended up splitting the bill because Shuuhei flat out refused to pay for fifteen jugs, even though he drank at least half of the amount of jugs presented. Renji and his original drinking comrade made their drunken way down a slightly filled walkway chattering and laughing very loudly.

They were both knocked for a loop when Yachiru on her scooter ran over the both of them leaving only tire marks on their bodies showing proof that she was there, "My candy can't wait no more!!" No apologies came their way, not like they would have heard it anyway.

With the help of a few other shinigami the two were helped up and sent on their less than merry way to their homes. After slurring their plastered goodbyes they split up. Renji, if it hadn't been for Kira after he nearly bowled him over would never had found his home and tucked neatly into his bed. Sleep came easy for the red-haired shinigami that night as he snuggled up under his blanket feeling warm and cozy.

The next morning was not as welcoming for Renji as he was rudely awakened by some incessant noise that refused to shut up. It was right in his ear blaring loudly like what Yachiru does when she wanted candy from Byakuya. His sleep high came rushing down with a retching sense of nausea in his stomach and bile rushing up his throat. Sitting up as quickly as possible Renji started to puke….into a……bucket? 'Thank Kami-sama!!'

"You are so irresponsible and you call yourself a vice captain, seriously Renji." The voice belonged to Rukia. 'What's she doing here?' when he finished emptying the contents of his stomach the vice captain wiped his mouth off and accepted the cup of water that was presented to him. Rukia watched as her childhood friend washed his mouth out with the water and spit it into the foul smelling bucket, musing about something in her mind.

**Again, somewhere in this city today two people will meet and fall in love; the curtains are violently opened. Ayumi Hamasaki (M)**

"You didn't show up this morning so Byakuya nii-san asked me to come and look for you when I passed him by." She had perceptively answered his question.

Then she smirked at him as he gave her a dry and scowling look, "What's with the tire tracks across your face?" Renji took a while to remember what had happened to him last night and it finally dawned upon him. "I think….Yachiru ran Shuuhei and I over last night. Scratch that I know she's the only one who would run another shinigami over just for some candy." His throat scratched as he talked. He took a sip of the water just to soothe the itchiness but, made a face when he tasted to left over bile as well. 'I'll have to go and brush my teeth.' He thought.

"Well you need to get going or else nii-san will be even more upset with you." She smacked him upside his head and picked up the bucket while pinching her nose. 'How could he sit there and stand that stench? Oh well it's his funk. He's lucky that I'm such a good friend.'

Renji watched as Rukia left his room and took his own leave as well to freshen up before he went to see his captain.

Renji walked up to Byakuya with a serious look on his face, "Renji, what is it?" Byakuya glanced sideways to his fukutaichou. "I need to ask you a question Kuchiki taichou. It's about Hitsugaya taichou." Byakuya fully looked at Renji this time and regarded him with a look Renji could not identify.

* * *

A/N: Almost 5,000 words but man was I lazy, anyways keep an eye out for chapter four in a while it might not come out as soon as I'd like it to but I've got studying to do and I need to pass my TABE test. So keep a wary eye in search of updates, oh speaking of updates I will be going back over chapters 1 & 2 and fixing my mistakes that I found but I won't add anything to them seeing as I'm ok with the story, it's just the punctuations that kill me every time I go over them. This is one long authors note so I'll leave you all to review.


	5. Now It's Good News!

I have purely good news to everyone who has been following this slow moving story of mine, I will be posting back a revised Chapter 1 and maybe Ch. 2. I think you all deserve that and more for putting up with this. Besides I went back and read my work and am not happy with it, so they'll probably turn out longer than the original chapters.

But I do have school that is taking up most of my time, so I will definitely get the ball rolling and bring back Rin-chan better than ever....maybe worse.

3 Pachinko-candies


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